Segmentation in the motorcycle community?

[Tyrian]

I was wondering a bit about segmentation in the motorcycle community...

So the situation here is that, increasingly, motorcyclists stick to their 'own' kind of motorcycles. Usually I see packs of SuperMotards/Allroads/Enduro's, Supersports or Cruisers. Increasingly, they even refuse to greet others with another type of motorcycle. What kind of boy scout behavior is this? Does this happen in the US as well?

Light motorcycles aren't even seen as full, while in the past you saw someone with a Yamaha XT or SR500 at almost every tour ride. Somehow motorcycling is increasingly seen as some kind of club, for which one only qualifies if they have the same color of access card (motorcycle type). HD riders always were dicks about this, but this snobbish behavior is spread out like a disease now. I nowadays mostly ride by myself and sometimes with a friend of mine who has an Suzuki Intruder.

So is this in the US as well or is this not really happening since entry into the motorcycle market is so fluid?

[Empty Sea]

My take (from the US): Yes, riders of similar types of bikes tend to ride together, but more because they have a common desire to ride a particular type of route in a particular riding style. For example, my friend with his BMW R1200GS doesn't ride with me very often because he wants the freedom to turn onto some crazy-assed piece of crap gravel road for which he knows my bike isn't as well-suited as his. I don't see that as snobbish.

On the other hand, HD riders do seem to have a tendency to keep to their own -- Not all, but some. They, along with BMW riders seem to be less willing to give a wave, but most still do. I think that the HD riders that are a little too caught up in the HD lifestyle are the ones that don't wave or, perhaps, they won't remove their hand from the grip for fear of being vibrated off their bikes.

Sometimes we ride for breakfast to a bike-friendly restaurant we know in our area. All types of bikes and riders show up on Sunday mornings. Everyone there seems to treat the parking lot as a bike show and talks to each other about their bikes, their destination that day, etc. It's pretty cool, really.

So, I don't see a trend of increased segmentation here. I still do see birds of a feather flocking together, but gennerally not for snobbish reasons.

[MotoMike]

Originally Posted by Empty Sea

... Sometimes we ride for breakfast to a bike-friendly restaurant we know in our area. All types of bikes and riders show up on Sunday mornings. Everyone there seems to treat the parking lot as a bike show and talks to each other about their bikes, their destination that day, etc. It's pretty cool, really.

So, I don't see a trend of increased segmentation here. I still do see birds of a feather flocking together, but gennerally not for snobbish reasons.

We've got the same thing here... Sunday morning coffee shop parking lot bike show, strictly informal. It's a sight to see... every type of bike you can imagine. Even the very rare and ultra cool '52 Vincent Black Shadow shows up from time to time.

I agree with your take on the overall motorcycle culture here, Empty Sea. As you say, I don't see it as snobbish either. It is what it is...

[sendler]

Most bikers of all sorts in my area express a kinship based on the common danger posed by aggressive car drivers. We try to look out for each other and promote safe driving and motorcycle awareness whenever the topic comes up. Most cruisers are mature now and will associate comfortably with someone on a 250 and try to understand where you are coming from. Adventure bikers like to ride up a mountain on a dirt trail which separates them with hopefully no hard feelings. The only snobbery I see is from a few groups of young kids on supersport bikes who really only use their bike to go out and wreak havoc.

[Tyrian]

Sounds cool, the only way to get some rounds around the block with other (strangers) is by hooking up via the local motorcycle forums.

I find that increasingly, motorcyclists here are focused solely on their own kind of motorcycle and act as if their choice make them superior.

[MotoMike]

Originally Posted by sendler

... The only snobbery I see is from a few groups of young kids on supersport bikes who really only use their bike to go out and wreak havoc.

I tend to think that in the case of squidly young guys on supersports, it's mainly their immaturity, and all too often just plain stupidity that is on display. That said, today's younger people in general sure do seem to act rather snobbish most of the time.

[Conundrum]

I'd say there is segmentation here, but only like others have mentioned -- adv riders want to take the beaten track, sports riders wants to tackle the twisties, and the cruisers want to cruise. With that said, I've ridden in groups with a few other classes of bikes, so it's not a rule or anything.

As for waving, I wave at almost everyone and they almost always wave back, SS, Harley, doesn't seem to matter. These days it seems even more likely, as both of us are freezing our #*@ off out on 2 wheels instead of 4 lol.

[shisoshin]

probably a general lessening of interactions riding
[lifting clutch fingers 'wave'] esp out of suburbia today,
probalby a sort of generational change tho as motorcyclists
today are more likely to own multiple vehicles, with their bike
a special relaxation/recreational vehicle,, whereas years ago
someone on a bike was a motorcyclist, daily and when
heading to bathurst for the races..

i dont lift my clutch fingers in suburbia as others seem to have
lost their recognition of this motorcycling greeting in suburbia..
sort of like peoples general eye contact etc in a country town
compared to a general non contact by city sheep..

in my area [sydney aust] there are lots of new riders/bikes
esp scooters, who are friendly enough mind, but who
have come from traditions which dont have this
greeting response for fellow motorcyclists..

for most new riders even lifting clutch fingers
would probably seem like some sort of danger..

there are still plenty of genuine motorcyclists
out there, new and old.. wave if you like,
but dont worry about it if they dont see your
gesture or dont recognise it..

hopefully theyre being safe and concentrating
on their riding, and those brain dead cagers..

[thefinalgamer]

around my area we have a few HD riders that will no wave to you at all. but most of the time cruisers wave back to me. we have a couple kids on SS bikes that will not wave to anyone and feel the need to fly past you every time they see someone else on a motorcycle. i see some cruiser and sportbike riders ride together, but generally they dont since the cruiser riders in my area tend to stick to the highways, while sportbike riders tear up the twisty back roads. i wave at everyone, even scooters lol.

[no phone]

I wave to everybody I see on a bike, unless I'm holding in the clutch or avoiding a pothole or something. Three friends I ride with have a Moto Guzzi, a Yamaha Bulldog, and a BMW R1150. People on scooters never wave back, but I once waved at a postman on a moped, and we both burst out laughing.

I wouldn't know about Harley riders. I believe many of them think mine isn't a real Harley: